Wolleman Family Lecture: What's Going On! Rock, Pop, and Protest

Within rock 'n' roll and related genres of popular music artists have produced a wealth of implicit and explicit commentaries on key social and political issues of their day.  This lecture explores past and present examples of rock and pop as forms of social protest confronting racism, war, income inequality, sexism, environmental disaster, and governmental corruption.

Judith A. Peraino is professor of music and the director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Program at Cornell University.  Her publications include articles on medieval secular songs; the rock artists Blondie, David Bowie, PJ Harvey, and Mick Jagger; and two books: Listening to the Sirens: Musical Technologies of Queer Identity from Homer to Hedwig (California, 2006), and Giving Voice to Love:  Song and Self-Expression from the Troubadours to Guillaume de Machaut (Oxford, 2011).  She also organized Punkfest Cornell (November 1-5, 2016), which brought together musicians, journalists, zine producers, and scholars to celebrate Cornell's punk rock archive.  She also co-curated the exhibit "Anarchy in the Archives" at the Hirshland Exhibition Gallery, Cornell University.

6:00-6:30pm cash bar reception; 6:30pm lecture, gratis.  Members and guests are invited to dine with Professor Peraino at The Club following the lecture. The cost is $40 per person, inclusive of tax, gratuity and one glass of wine with dinner. Dinner reservations are required 48 hours prior to the program. Same-day cancellations and no shows will be charged.

 Please note that the dinner with Professor Peraino is sold out. If you would like to be added to the wait list, please contact Kirsten at [email protected].